Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-08-11

NOW, aktcr the manner OF his kind,
Tad regarded all policemen rs natural.
foes TO be fcared-and. as far as possi-
bic, avoided. SO, no sooner did he
recognize the dreaded touch than, slip
ping eel-like frc;n his would-be cap
tors grasp, Tad, with an inarticulate
cry Of terror, dove directly under the
wheels Of the nearest train.
The cars were az stand-still, Of
course, but had they been In motion,
am not so sure but Tad would have
acted exactly the same, so great was
his fear of arrest. True, In theory,
conscious innocence Is generally sup
posed to show a bold 'front.' but unfor-
tunately this is not always the case in
practice, particularly in an issue be-
tween big policeman and a small boy.
Tad emerged on the opposite side
Of the track, with the encouraging cry
of Stop, thief" ringing in his ears,
just In time to confront the blue
coated official, who. in some inexplica-
ble way, had reached the spot as quick
ly rs himself.
There he isr' shouted young
man. whom Tad had noticed in the
waiting-room little before, and, hesi-
tating for brief second, the hunted
lad, who still chung to the cause of
his trouble, sprang upon the platform
of parlor-car attached to the waiting
train. Flinging open the door, he
darted In, meaning, II possible, to
pass through to the other end, where,
slipping off, he hoped to be able to
lose himself in the crowd.
Vain hopel As he hurried between
the rows of as yet unoccupied chairs,
the rattle of the conductors key was
heard in the rear door at which he was
hoping to escape, while the shuttle of
feet, and sound of voices, at the door
which he had entered, told Tad that he
was fairly trapped.
Glancing despairingly about him.
Tad's quick eye discovered at least a
temporary hiding-plaee. Dropping on
his knees, he crawled behind the near
est of the revolving chairs, which, fort
unatcly for him, was the one next
the door Of entrance. Concealed by its
arching back, Tad made himself as
small as possible in the angle formed
by the end of the compartment and
side of the car, where he awaited the
result in fear and trembling.
He heard the sound of masculine
feet and the rustic of silken skirts,
blended with subducd murmur of
voices as the parlor-car began to fill
up. A rather stout lady, richly dressed,
paused beside the chair behind which
Tad was hidden.
at is so warm here, John, shall
not need to keep on my circular" she
said, in a somewhat languid tone. Tad
could not distinctly see the person thus
addressed, but by the way he threw
himself into the chair and Immediately
unfolded a newspaper, from behind
which he vouchsafed brief grunt in
reply, Tad imagined him to be the lady's
husband
Suspendingh her heavy, fur-lined cloak
from hook at the compartment end.
the lady patted and pulled its long
folds into place behind the chair-back,
and for moment Tad's heart almost
stopped beating, as her gloved fingers
once or twice actually grazed his hair.
But he remained undiscovered, and,
better still, the sheltering garment
helped TO hide him more eifectually
than before, and, as its owner seated
herself with little sigh Of relief, Tad
chuckled gleefully as he heard the re-
ceding tread of the big policeman, who,
after casting a comprehensive glance
about the car, was obliged TO beat a
hasty retreat-becausc-
The cars were in motionl In his ex-
element the possibility Of such con-
tingency had entirely escaped Tad S
mind. He was almost on the point of
scrambling to his feet and calling out
to the conductor to stop the train, but,
remembering the unpleasant results